Black Starlets Maul Nambia

The newly assembled Black Starlets mauled their Namibian counterparts by six unanswered goals in the opening matches of the Independence Cup held in Namibia.

Papa Kwesi Faabin’s side registered six goals in the opening half to end the game as they condemned their guests to ordinary spectators at the fully packed Kuisebmund stadium in Walvis Bay, Namibia.

Two more goals in the second half ended the tie at a whopping 8-0 with Cudjoe scoring half of the goals for Paa Kwesi Faabin’s side.

The Twinkle twinkle little stars were invited to participate that includes South Africa and Germany for the upcoming independence celebration in Namibia.

South Africa later pulled out of the four nation invitational tourney forcing organizers to replace the Madiba boys with the U20 side of Namibia.

The Starlets announced their intentions earlier into their clash with the host side when David Cudjoe opened the scoring for the Ghanaians just six minutes into the clash.

Abdul Halik Hudu followed up with the second strike 2 minutes later before Eric Ayiah put the game to be with his side first of the campaign and the Ghanaian’s third 13minutes into the opening match.

David Cujoe then completed his treble with two quick strikes before Yakubu Najeeb made it 6-0 before recess.

Two more strikes from Cudjoe and Eric Ayiah in the second half in the confirmed the complete dominance of the West African side over their puzzled guest.

Black Starlets XI:

Prince Asempa, Tahiru Umar Farouk, Abdul Razak Yussif, Najeeb Yakubu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Ibrahim Sulley, Abdul Halik Hudu, David Cujoe, Eric Ayia, Emmanuel Toku

Reserves: Aminu Mohamed, Osman Faisal, Kingsley Owusu, Rashid Alhasaan, Emmanuel Osei Bonsu, Mohammed Iddrisu, Seydou Ibrahim Sylla.

Black Starlets Maul Nambia

Exclusive: Starlets To Depart For Four Nation Tourney In Namibia

The Nationa U17 side, Black Starlets, are set to depart to Namibia for a four nation tournament on Sunday.

The newly assembled side will be pitching their strength against host Namibia, South Africa and the much fancied Germany.

A contingent of 18 players are expected the trip under the watchful eyes of experience trainer Papa Kwesi Faabin.

The tourney is to fine tune preparation for the twinkle twinkle little stars ahead of their continental and world championship aspirations.

Papa Kwesi, recently stepped down from his seat as the head coach of Inter Allies to have more time with the Starlets and embarked on a nationwide talent hunt to make up the core of the team.

The tournament will provide the platform for the technical team to get bird eye view of the playing staff since their arrival in camp early last month.

The Black starlets, two times winners of the FIFA U17 World champions have since failed to impress at the juvenile football gathering in recent times.

Exclusive: Starlets To Depart For Four Nation Tourney In Namibia

Avram Grant To Return To Ghana Next Week

Ghana’s senior national team coach, Avram Grant will return to Ghana next week to name a squad for the upcoming Afcon 2017 qualifier against Mozambique, sportscrusader.com can confirm.

Avram Grant was given the Christmas period off and additional days after the new year to enable him participate in a League Managers Association conference in the United States.

The conference ended in mid-January and Avram Grant was expected to return to Ghana, but the Israeli has spent almost two months, contrary to the agreement signed with the FA.

Media reports emanated yesterday (Tuesday) that the football governing body has written to the former Chelsea manager to end his leave and return to the country.

And sportscrusader.com checks on when  Avram Grant will respond to the call has revealed that he will be in Ghana early next week to name a squad for the Black Stars Afcon 2017 qualifier against Mozambique later this month.

Sports crusader sources also added that the FA will ensure he stays in the country after the double header to monitor the national league which began two weeks ago.

Avram Grant was appointed on December 1, 2014 to succeed Kwesi Appiah who masterminded Ghana’sdismal performance in Brazil duringthe 2014 FIFA World Cup.

He led the Black Stars to Afcon 2015 in Equatorial Guinea, and finished second behind Cote d’Ivoire.

Avram Grant To Return To Ghana Next Week

Black Starlets Squad Prunned To 35-Players

Coach Paa Kwesi Fabin has selected thirty five (35) youngsters to form the nucleus of the National U-17 male team subject to they passing all medical tests.

 

The final list of the recruitment was decided after a nationwide tour to identify talented youngsters into the next Black Starlets squad.

The Technical team also invited and accessed players from various football academies as well as some players who excelled at the Airtel Rising stars competition.

All selected players are expected to report at the Ghana Soccerman Centre of Excellence (GSCE), Prampram on Sunday February 14, 2016 before 6pm.

Below are the players who have been selected in the final National U-17 squad list:

GOALKEEPERS

1. Mathew Tigasi

2. Tawfik Yahuza

3. Bukari Abdul Rafui

4. Ibrahim Selly Seydou

5. Frederick Asare

DEFENDERS

6. Faisal Osman

7. Abdul Razak Yussif

8. Gideon Acquah

9. Benjamin Aloma

10. Paul Tetteh Addour

11. Najeeb Yakubu

12. Stephen Boye

13. Samuel Taylor

14. Seydou Issaka

15. Omar Farouk

MIDFIELDERS

16. Frederick Agyeman

17. Kwadwo Asamoah

18. Emmanuel Toku

19. Rashid Ibrahim

20. Obed Yankey

21. Emmanuel Kuvedu

22. Eric Ayiah

23. Nuhu Sule

24. Silas Kyeremeh

25. Obed Appiah

26. Ibrahim Appiah

27. David Ayi Akwetey

28. Abdul Halik Hudu

29. Mohammed Iddriss

ATTACKERS

30. Sylvester Simba

31. Aziz Abdul Yakubu

32. David Cudjoe

33. Abubakar Lawal

34. Aminu Mohammed

35. Ibrahim Sulley

Black Starlets Squad Prunned To 35-Players

No More Begging Players - Nii Lantey

Sports Minister Designate, Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuije says no national team player will be begged to represent the country if they agitate for bonuses before playing for the national team.

The senior national team of late is always begged by authorities to play for the country but he says under hus administration will not beg any Black Stars player who is not ready to play for the senior national team over issues of winning bonuses.

President John Dramani Mahama had to intervene when the Black Stars refused to play in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil due to the delay in the payment of their appearance fee.

But Nii LanteyVanderpuije says no one will beg any player to do a service sacrosanct to the nation.

“Sometimes, you need to let people understand that this country cannot go down on its knees to beg a person to do one service or another,” the former boxing promoter told Starr FM.

The ex-GBC sports journalist also revealed that players were not begged to play the 2000 Africa Cup of nations when there was a rebellion in camp over bonuses.

“In the year 2000, when we co-hosted with Nigeria, just before our first game, I was with Alhaji Jawula, Nana Butler and the GFA people at the Presidency. I was with Professor Mills at that time, then Vice President.

“Then we heard some news that the players had embarked on some rebellion that they were not going to play the match if their allowances are not increased. So, the coach Osam Duodu and the rest were worried.

“We went there in the morning and shouted, who doesn’t want to play? We won’t pay so if you don’t want to play you can leave. We have players, those who want to play should pick up jerseys.

One or two players started picking up shirts and the rest started scrambling for the jerseys.” He revealed.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuije is the 8th sports minister under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration since 2009.

No More Begging Players - Nii Lantey

Ghana Drawn Against Liberia in AYC Qualifiers

Ghana Black Starlets has been drawn against Liberia in the preliminary phase of CAF  U17 African Championship.

The draw for the tournament scheduled to be played in Madagascar 2017 was performed last Friday in Kigali, and Ghana will play in the first round.

Before the Black Starlets can qualify for the competition in Madagascar, they are expected to go through three qualifying rounds.

The first round matches will be played between 24 and 26 June and the return encounters will be played between July 1 and 3, 2016.

Twenty two countries will battle it out for a place in second round of the qualifiers which will take place on  August 5 to 7 and the return legs expected to be on August 19 and 21.

Round 1 fixtures:

Ghana – Liberia

Libya – Algeria

Mauritania – Morocco

Benin – Sierra leone

DR Congo -Chad

Sudan – Djibouti

Malawi – Kenya

Tanzania – Seychelles

Namibia – Botswana

Lesotho – Mauritius

Comoros – Zimbabwe

Ghana Drawn Against Liberia in AYC Qualifiers

I Left PLB Not Football - Abra-Appiah

Former Ghana Premier League Board chairman Welbeck Abra-Appiah says he only dropped his working of the premier league and not football.

Welbeck Abra-Appiah announced his decision to resign from the office of the Ghana Premier League Board after a decade of service to the country’s flagship club football.

According to Welbeck Abra-Appiah, he stepped aside to give the younger generation the opportunity to continue from where he left off, and to have time for his private business, family, as well as concentrate more on serving his creator.

But in less than a month after he honorably relinquished his position, the former financier and administrator of Okwawu United, has been named a member of the Black Stars management committee, and a member of the Ghana Football Association Match Review Committee by the Executive Committee of the GFA, which is contrary to what he told Ghanaians.

However, Abra-Appiah explained that he that he is yet to quit from football management.

“I haven’t retired from football administration, my announcement was that, I am dropping my working tools as chairman of the Premier League Board.

“I am not out football entirely,” Abra-Appiah, the longest-serving chairman of the Premier League Board told Accra-based radio station, Happy FM.

Abra-Appiah who was made chairman of the PLB by Kwesi Nyantakyi in 2005, has been questioned for resigning from his position as PLB boss, but has been linked to other portfolios at the FA.

Welbeck Abra-Appiah said he is yet to receive official communication from the FA, but reiterated that he has been misinterpreted.

“My resignation has been wrongly interpreted… and people who have misunderstood my position abuse me for nothing. I never said I am out football entirely.” He said.

I Left PLB Not Football - Abra-Appiah

Monies Won"t Be Airlifted To Pay Players - Nii Lantey

Sports Minister-designate, Nii Lante Vanderpuije says monies will not be airlifted to pay players of the any of the national teams under his administration as the sports minister.

In 2014 the President John Mahama authorized a flight of over $4 million to Brazil for the payment of Black Stars’ 2014 World Cup appearance fees after reports emanated that the was unrest in camp.

The President later set up a commission to inquire the cause of the unrest, and the committee which was led by Justice Dzamefe sent its findings and recommendations to the president.

A White Paper on the Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry recommended that monies should not be flown to any tournament for the payment of remuneration of national teams or persons.

And Vanderpuije, the former Deputy Local Government Minister, has no intentions of flouting Mahama’s order published in the White Paper.

“I have no problem with the GFA and don’t think I will have problems with the GFA. Under my watch, we will never airlift monies to pay bonuses of national teams. Anyone who does that will have a problem with me,” he told Happy FM.

The Black Stars has outstanding bonus for the 2018 World Cup qualifying win over Comoros yet to be settled, and should he occupy the office and the money is not paid before March 25 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mozambique, the Sports Ministry will not fly cash to Maputo during the second leg.

Monies Won"t Be Airlifted To Pay Players - Nii Lantey

Paa Kwesi Fabin Invites 40 Airtel Rising Stars

Ghana Black Starlets boss, Paa Kwesi Fabin has extended invitation to forty Airtel Rising Stars to justify their inclusion into the national U-17 team.

Paa Kwesi Fabin concluded a nationwide tour in search of talents for the next generation and selected forty youngsters.

And he has named another forty players to compete for a place in the national team.

The players are expeted to report to the Ghanaman Soccer Center of Excellence (GSCE), Prampram latest by 6pm today with 2 passport pictures and training kits consisting of boots and shin guards, goalkeepers gloves where applicable to participate in the phase 3 of the U17 recruitment exercise.

1.Mohammed Halidu

2. Erkima Zubayru

3. Edmond Boateng

4. Adam Hamza

5. Abubakari Abdul Malik

6. Nuhu Yakubu

7. Gabriel Bonnah

8. Emmanuel Okyere

9. Mubarak Umar

10. Stephen Turkson

11. Salim Mohammed

12. Franklin Boah

13. Zakaria Godfred

14. Rashid Fuseini

15. Foster Yankey

16. Kyei Kevin

17. Shaibu Tahiru

18. Mohammed Cobbina

19. Abosa Jacob

20. Patrick Arthur

21. Najimudeen Alhassan

22. Zakaria Abdul Mowgees

23. Simon Atubga

24. Sadat Fuseni

25. Danlard lbrahim

26. Nana Osei Asibey

27. Osei A. Prince

28. Gideon Nti Tweneboah

29. Atta Moses

30. Frederick Asare

31. Mathias Govina

32. Banafo Prince

33. Najeed Yakubu

34. Hulbert Okrah

35 .Gabriel Leveh

36. Ishmael Akwasi Antwi

37.Emmanuel Afriyie

38.Frank Owusu

39.Enock Frimpong

40. Abdul Kawell

Paa Kwesi Fabin Invites 40 Airtel Rising Stars

Winning Trophies Is Not Our Target - Paa Kwesi Fabin

Ghana Black Satellites head coach Paa Kwesi Fabin has called on Ghanaians to lower their expectations on the team he is putting together for the upcoming CAF Championship qualifiers.

The national U-17 team has won two world youth trophies in 1991 and 1995, and is always a force to reckon with in Africa and World Youth tournaments.

But off late, the team has failed to make an appearance in world cup. The Black Starlets were also disqualified in the last edition of the U-17 Africa Cup and subsequently missed the world cup.

And with a return to the competition, expectations will be high, but Paa Kwesi Fabin has cooled down of immediate success.

“You can’t compare two eras. Those days you can parade anybody as an U-17 player and you and play but these days, you need to pick young guys and go through MRI to state that they are truly U-17 before you can go into the team,” the former Inter Allies boss told TV3 Ghana.

“We are trying to build a very good team and develop players who can go into the next level. Even though we did not play in world cup in 2013, most of most players are in Europe and that’s because we picked quality players,” He added.

The ex-Hearts of Oak boss also admitted that the job comes with pressure, but with his experience, he has that under control.

“There’s a lot of pressure but I have seen it all before… and wouldn’t say we are going to win the Africa cup or world cup, but I can assure Ghanaians that I’m churning out quality players who will grow up to the next level and make Ghana proud in future.” He stated.

Winning Trophies Is Not Our Target - Paa Kwesi Fabin

Revelation: We"d No Agreement With Any Pastor - Oti Akenteng

No One Promised The Pastor Anything – Oti Akenteng

Ghana FA technical director Francis Oti Akenteng has cooled off talks by former starlets player, Awudu Isaaka claiming the technical team and the playing body of the victorious 95 squad that conquered the world of football at the FIFA U-17 world cup in Ecuador failed to adhere to their side of the bargain after meeting a man-of-God before leaving for the tournament.

 

Awudu Issaka in an interview with Kumasi based, Boss FM had revealed spiritual assistance and favour the team enjoyed when they visited Pastor Acquah Isaac at his church before leaving Ghana for the tournament in Ecuador.

The skillful Issaka continued in his revelation that an agreement between the man of God and the technical handlers of the team – should the team succeed as the pastor had prophesized – the team should come back to his church and show appreciation – which the team didn’t.

 

Akenteng who was assistant manager to head coach Kwasi Afranie has rebuffed those claims of an agreement between them and the pastor. Speaking to Kumasi based Boss fm 93.7, ‘Nyame Ba’ – meaning child of God said, “we returned to Pastor Isaac after the world cup success in Ecuador 95 and thanked him for the prayers though I can’t recollect exactly what his prayer line was, he nonetheless showered upon us before we departed.”

 

“Posing next to the trophy and taking pictures was enough as we’d no agreement with Pastor Acquah Isaac. I can say on authority we had no agreement to return the favour should the Starlets win the trophy,” he added.

 

The Black Starlets are reported to have been cursed since the last success but is yet to repeat that feat since then with the team recently serving a ban last year for fielding an unqualified player.

Revelation: We"d No Agreement With Any Pastor - Oti Akenteng

The Current U-17 Is Cursed - Awudu Issaka

It’s Clear The Black Starlets Is Cursed – Awudu Issaka

The Ghana national U17 team, popularly referred to as the Black starlets have not won the FIFA U17 trophy since 1995 and former Black starlets player and a key member of the team that won Ghana’s last, Awudu Issaka knows why this barren run of trophy exists.

 

 

Awudu Issaka, 36, started his playing career with the youth team of record 23-times Ghana premier league champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko before signing for Prampram Mighty Royals FC in Ghana’s second division, where he already played for the first team at the age of fifteen.

 

The dribbling magician as he was nicknamed signed for Belgian side, RSC Anderlecht after the FIFA World Youth Championship and in an interview with Boss 93.7 fm in Kumasi revealed what he knows and believes is the reason why the recent Black starlets have not been successful since he last played in the 1995 winning team.

 

According to the former Liberty professionals play maker, “before the Ecuador 1995 FIFA U17 world cup, head coach, Oti Akenteng lead the playing body to visit a man of God at Akim-Oda for prayers (spiritual assistance – to help the team win the trophy) before leaving for the tournament.”

 

“After the tournament the Black starlets and the technical team failed to return to the man of God and show appreciation and the one-time creative midfielder believes it is why the Ecuador squad was not so successful.”

“I’ve cursed the players , he (the man of God) said. I (Awudu Issaka) believe Servant Isaac’s comment – he’s done’ with the team is a bare fact to what the current U17 team is experiencing. The thanks and appreciation he wanted in return was missing and I believe he’s still hurt,” he added.

 

Head coach, Paa Kwasi Fabian along with the technical head at the Ghana football association

The Current U-17 Is Cursed - Awudu Issaka

I Have Been Looking For A WayTo Quit Hearts - Boampong

Accra Hearts of Oak did not sack Philip Boampong according to the player.

Boampong claims he is therefore looking for a way to quit Hearts of Oak but he never wanted to push harder to leave, thus he called on the management of the club to take a decision on his future before the transfer window closes.

The forner Black Starlets defender hasn’t seen much playing time since last season and also under Japanese-American coach Kenichi Yatsuhashi who took over the club about four months ago.

He feels he is not wanted by club, so the earlier they take a decision on him the better.

“I don’t have any problem with the coach. Every coach has his choice of player. Maybe he doesn’t like the way I play, but another coach might like my play. The management should decide my fate in the club now, and not wait until the transfer window closes,” Boampong told Nhyira FM.

“They should know I am an experienced player and I have already made a good name for myself as a player and it is not that I have retrogressed, I am still playing actively.

“It was Monday that management told me to start training and I will hear from them later, but if the person doesn’t like the way you play, he won’t field you, no matter what.

“I want to even quit the club, but I don’t won’t to push it”.

I Have Been Looking For A WayTo Quit Hearts - Boampong